Mississippi high court denies petition to stop execution

Manning's execution set for Tuesday

Published 11:49 AM CDT May 02, 2013

JACKSON, Miss. -

The Mississippi Supreme Court has refused to stop the execution of death row inmate Willie Jerome Manning.

Manning had argued that DNA testing would show he didn't kill two Mississippi State University students in 1992. He is scheduled to die by lethal injection at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the state penitentiary at Parchman.

Manning was handed two death sentences for the slayings of Mississippi State University students Jon Steckler and Tiffany Miller, whose bodies were discovered in rural Oktibbeha County on Dec. 11, 1992. Each was shot to death, and Miller's car was missing. The vehicle was found the next morning.

Prosecutors said Manning was arrested after he tried to sell some items belonging to the victims.

Manning is expected to pursue appeals in the federal courts.

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